Sipping coffee along a river may conjure up thoughts of a café along the Thames River in London or the Seine River in Paris. For Angelenos, coffee along the L.A. River is now a reality as RAC Design Build and Cafecito Orgánico have teamed up to hold a pop-up coffee shop along the river's pedestrian and bike path in Elysian Valley.
Named after the 24.7 mile marker along the river bike trail (between Coolidge and Denby Avenues) where RAC Design Build's back patio opens up to, the 24.7 River Café will be open from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. this Saturday, September 14.
The pop-up coffee shop's first test run took place August 24 during the Northeast Los Angeles Riverfront Collaborative's (NELA RC) planning and mobility workshop, and was a big success. In addition to workshop participants, pleasantly surprised bicyclists and walkers along the trail stopped by to indulge in expertly roasted artisan coffee.
Cafecito Orgánico, whose mission includes sustainable coffee practices through the creation of direct relationships with major coffee growing regions across the world, served long lines the first time around, and expect to serve even more on Saturday.
With the growing interest in revitalizing the L.A. River for the Northeast communities and all Angelenos, the innovative cafe is a sensible idea. The effort activates the river space by engaging visitors beyond recreational use, and builds on the local economic development opportunities that exist around one of the city's best community assets.
It also exposes the city to committed local businesses, such as RAC Design Build, who make their space not only a place of business, but a space for community and public gathering. Furthermore, the partnership with small business coffee roasters, such as Cafecito Orgánico, creates local economic development opportunities built on socially conscious relationships.
The neighborhood of Elysian Valley is also situated in an area between the river and the 5 freeway that lacks many neighborhood amenities, such as a full market, restaurants, and coffee shops. This Saturday's pop-up coffee shop offers a vision of amenities that can add to the neighborhood. It also encourages bicyclists to pause and not speed through the neighborhood, where many use the trail as a walking path and have to constantly remind bicyclists to share the path with pedestrians in mind.
So, whether you are bicycling the path, taking a neighborhood stroll, or fishing in the river -- swing by the 24.7 River Café. And if you get your early morning caffeine fix, be sure to also come out to attend the last NELA RC summer policy engagement workshop, and participate in creating ideas for more sustainable economic development along the river, like the pop-up coffee shop.. The workshop will take place from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., September 14, at Atwater Crossing in Atwater Village in Northeast L.A.
Top: Photo by George Villanueva.
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How do you want your L.A. River to be? Be a part of the river's future with the Northeast L.A. Riverfront Collaborative.
Visit mylariver.org for more information.
